My family and I were bumming around the house today, my beard too long, in need of a shower, some movement, and just a general change of outlook. Isaiah’s hair was all scraggly, too, since the last best effort at a haircut I gave him around a month ago.
I had to shake the stagnancy, and get us out to do something. I took out the clippers, shaved my head and gave my beard a trim. Then me and Isaiah hit the shower and tub, and headed out to get his hair cut, and get some ice cream!
I was very impressed with how he was able to hold a conversation with the stylist at the barber shop. He spoke to her in a very cheerful, almost “adult” fashion, until the end when he kept saying “Are you done? Are you done yet!?”
I was sitting on the other end of the room impressed. My little guy can more than hold his own in a conversation. I felt very proud of him.
After leaving the barber shop we headed to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream. There we talked about the different flavors, the English written on the store wall which read “Eat Dessert First!” and drew some pictures on small pieces of paper provided by the store for writing orders (or some other such purpose).
Isaiah drew some cool designs and then invited me to do the same. We came up with some neat stuff and figured we could make a card game out of it later. After we finished our ice cream, and I had imbibed a warm cup of coffee, we cleaned up our table and headed over to the resale shop down the street, for one final stop before heading home.
At the resale shop Isaiah found the hanko (name stamps used to sign official documents here in Japan) display, and began to make a game consisting of multiple levels, out of moving the various stamps around in different patterns. I didn’t understand the rules, but marveled at how he was so engaged and focused on the game he had created.
Life is learning. Learning never stops. We had a nice little outing full of unschool experiences and actual learning today, and for that I am very happy!
Wishing you all a fruitful and productive day full of unlearning the useless stuff! ;)
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(Thanks for stopping by! If you missed the last Unschooling Blog, Vol. 39: “Polishing Rice and Making Some Crypto,” you can find it HERE.
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)